Rahsaan wrote:IIRC, Parker has called Tempier's rosé the finest in the world
So now suddenly Parker is an authority worth referencing?
Oh, you cynic! Please note the context in which that statement was made: I was responding to a post from Bob in which he'd quoted at length from TBPG. Therefore I was merely showing that the same source had also cast praise upon Tempier's rosé, at the very least. (The reason I had that quote at hand, BTW, was that I'd read it in the last week in KL's "Inspiring Thirst" when KL used it in a sales pitch for Tempier.
My understanding of Bandol is very limited, but somehow I assumed that Tempier were the people who first made the push towards getting Bandol appreciated outside the region/country, much like Joguet in Chinon, but that now many others (especially Pradeaux and Pibarnon) have caught up, so the distance is less great and there can be debates over which one is "superior". However, recent winemaking trends and specific terroir issues are beyond me. Although they are obviously highly relevant.
That sounds pretty much like the story as I know it. One could ask what the term "standard bearer" means in this context. It's beyond question that M. Peyraud pushed for recognition of Bandol as an AOC in '57. As I said earlier, though, that's no guarantee of quality, let alone flagship status.
Mark Lipton
